Chalkville Elementary getting new cafeteria

By Gary Lloyd
CHALKVILLE — Chalkville Elementary School is hungry for a new cafeteria.

The Jefferson County Board of Education last Thursday appointed TurnerBatson Architects to provide design services for the construction of a cafeteria at Chalkville Elementary School.

Principal Rod Johnson said the current cafeteria was designed to feed about 600 students. Chalkville Elementary School, however, is the third-largest school in the Jefferson County Schools system, behind Shades Valley and Clay-Chalkville high schools. As of Aug. 18, enrollment was at 1,206 students, up from 1,126 last year.

Because of the high number of students, lunchtime begins at 10 a.m. and ends around 1 p.m. each day.

“It’s a chore,” Johnson said.

Johnson said new Superintendent Craig Pouncey has visited the school twice since being hired in June. On the first trip, Johnson showed him around campus. Pouncey quickly noticed the need for a new cafeteria, Johnson said.

When Pouncey came back to the school last week, he looked at property adjacent to the school that the school board is interested in purchasing for the purpose of a new cafeteria, “which would be awesome,” Johnson said. Johnson said he was “very impressed” with Pouncey.

“He said, ‘I just want you to know it’s a priority for me to get this done for you guys,’” Johnson said.

Johnson said he expects a new cafeteria won’t be complete until at least next fall. He said he hopes the current cafeteria will eventually be used for office space, storage space and more classrooms.

Johnson thanked Jefferson County Schools Child Nutrition Supervisor Becky Bryant in her push for a new cafeteria. He also thanked Chalkville Elementary’s cafeteria manager, Becky Patterson, and her staff for doing a “fantastic job” in a small food preparation area.

“They are one of the hardest working lunchroom staffs that I have ever worked with and they always work as a team,” Johnson said.